I do agree on the away goals thing, but I suspect it's done to try and make the worthless cup a bit different. Tiz bollocks though.
Thoughts on last night,
* There was virtually nothing between those two sides. After the cluster-**** of a season Liverpool have had it's nice to see them back playing some good football against one of the biggest sides in the league. Although their inability to win the home game after almost complete domination ultimately cost them.
* Fair play to both keepers a series of top notch saves, Courtois in both legs, he in particular looks like a fantastic player. Mingolet actually looked like a different player, there may just be a future for him an Anfield
* Balotelli on the other hand, must be having a last pint after the Last Chance Saloon has called last orders and the fat lass is adjusting her microphone on stage. His general play isn't "bad" it's just totally unsuited to Liverpool's style and he doesn't seem to realise/care or want to adapt. The first three halves of the tie had Liverpool causing Chelsea problems by pressing high and hard. Balotelli won't do that, that involves running, he doesn't seem to have mastered that yet. Not only that, when he gets the ball he holds on to it for far too long. One incident springs to mind with 2 mins to go he had an easy 5 yard pass back to Henderson but instead insisted on trying to hold off and then beat two Chelsea defenders, before a third Chelsea player cleared the loose ball. Chance gone and possession lost. Then there's the goal. He gives the ball away with a loose pass and then doesn't feel any need to mark his man. I think it was Gary Neville who said games at this level are decided by the finest margins, a moment of genius or a player switching off for half a second. Mario was the latter, for most of the time he was on the pitch.
*On that note, It was a brave move by Rodgers to bring him on. He has been, I'll be generous, poor this season, certainly when compared to Lallanna. Yet he gets the nod. I suspect it was a case of "Mario, Jose said you're ****, go and prove him wrong." Sadly it didn't work. In fact it cost Liverpool the game (though granted they would have lost on away goals anyway, but psychologically the damage was done by conceding).
* Costa is a lucky boy. The second stamp on Skertl, I would have given him the benefit of the doubt, had he not already done it to Can. I suspect it was deliberate. We've all played sport and you know when you are going to stand on someone and most normal people would adjust their stride pattern accordingly, but Costa didn't. Mind you, I happy to give him the benefit of the doubt given it COULD have been an accident and it didn't look as blatant as the first. Which was a red card, all day long. I'll be amazed if he doesn't get a retrospective ban.
* The penalty Chelsea didn't get was a penalty. Simple as. The ref dropped a bollock there. You could argue it cancels out him not sending off Costa, or that Costa shouldn't have been on the pitch to be fouled but, that doesn't stop it being a penalty.
* The Henderson hand ball. It's a strange one. I've seen it a few times and I'm still not 100% sure if it's hand ball, ball to hand, or he's leaning in trying to block it with his body and it hits his arm. Either way I have seen them given, probably more often than not, so he can consider himself lucky. I suspect had he not been booked already he would have been. Does that mean we have a new category of foul, that is "bad enough for a yellow, if you haven't been booked already, but not bad enough for a second yellow/red"?
* The intensity of the game and the fact it went the extra half hour, must have had City and WH sat rubbing their hands with glee. Especially as Fabregas went off injured (Filipe Luis as well, but he doesn't count) and Costa most be looking at a ban. City might have a chance now, if they can just remember how to play.
* Had Liverpool won, and assuming Spurs win their game with Sheff Utd, looking at Pool's record against Spurs in the last 3 or 4 games (is 12-0 on aggregate to Pool?) I'd have put my house on Spurs to win! As it stands I'll be cheering them on if only so I don't have to see John Terry's smiling happy face. Although I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't stick a Spurs kit on and try and join in their celebrations (if they win).
